Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Labinot Kabashi | ||
Date of birth | [1] | 28 February 2000||
Place of birth | Vantaa, Finland | ||
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
2008–2010 | Gimnàstic | ||
2010–2020 | Barcelona | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2020 | Barcelona B | 0 | (0) |
2020–2022 | Villarreal C | 13 | (2) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 September 2022 |
Labinot Kabashi (born 28 February 2000) is a footballer who plays as a midfielder. He last played for Spanish team Villarreal C. Described as a technical player, Kabashi can operate as either a midfielder or a winger. Born in Finland, he had opted to play for Kosovo internationally. He has drawn comparisons to Spanish player Andrés Iniesta.[2][3]
Kabashi joined FC Barcelona's youth setup from Gimnàstic when he was 10 years old.[4] In November 2016, he suffered an ACL injury that kept him on the sidelines for a year and a half.[5] He once again suffered the same injury in March 2018, keeping him out for almost a year.[6] On 9 February 2019, it was announced that he would return with the U19's in a match against CE Europa. Upon his return he injured himself again, seven minutes after coming off the bench.[7][8] The following 15 February, he renewed with the club until 30 June 2021.[9][10]
On 30 January 2020, he was promoted to Barcelona B.[11] Barcelona terminated his contract the following 5 October.[12]
On 28 October 2020, Villarreal CF published the squad list for Villarreal C for the 2020–21 season, and Kabashi was included.[13] Three days later, he made his debut in a 3–3 away draw against Atlético Saguntino after coming on as a substitute at 46th minute in place of Richard Franco.[14] On 3 February 2021, Kabashi scored his first goal for Villarreal C in his fourth appearance for the club in a 1–2 away win over Acero in Tercera División.[15]
He was eligible for Kosovo and Spain internationally, as well as Finland, his birthplace.[16][17] On 2 October 2016, Kabashi was called up to the Kosovo national team at only 16 years of age.[18][19][20] He was an unused substitute in the World Cup qualifying matches against Croatia,[21] and Ukraine,[22] due to Barcelona indirectly sending a request through Kabashi's father to ask the national team not to play Kabashi in the matches, because there could be problems after activation.[23]
Kabashi was born in Vantaa, Finland,[1] to a Kosovo Albanian father and a Finnish mother.[24][16][17] He has dual citizenship of Finland and Kosovo,[25] and his cousins Armend, Elbasan and Astrit Kabashi are also footballers who mainly play in the lower categories of Finnish football.[26][27]
Barcelona